Wringer release mechanism



Jan. 21, 1941. A. w. ALTORFER 2,229,269

WRINGER RELEASE MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 23, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet lA: TE-

A. w. ALTORFER WRINGER RELEASE MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll lun & i

fiaiaa? 72 INSZ'EN'I'UE- Aura- Jan. 21, 1941. A, ALTQRFE'R 2,229,269

WRINGER RELEASE MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 23, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3v INVERTER;

IF 2 gu A 7 fli jy uv Jan. 21, 1941. A. w. ALTORFER WRINGER RELEASEMECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Jan. 23, 1935 Patented Jan.21, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE Application January 23, 1935,Serial No. 2,993 Renewed April 1, 1938 7 Claims.

This invention is directed to release mechanism for roll wringers andhas for one of its objects the provision of a novel release mechanismcooperative with a roll wringer mechanism by means of which the contactpressure between the wringer rolls may be instantly released.

Another object is to provide a manually operable element adapted tooperate the release mechanism when manipulated in any one of severaldirections, to the end that an operator has option of several movementsof the manual means whereby to efiect release.

A further object is to provide a release mechanism comprising a barpassing across the top frame of the wringer and having operableconnection with release devices, the bar being longitudinally movabletransversely of the frame and capable by such movement of operating therelease devices, the bar being also rotatably movable in the frame andcapable by such rotation of likewise operating the release mechanism.

An additional object-is to provide a release mechanism comprising a barmember passing across the top frame of the wringer and having 25operable connection with release devices, the bar being longitudinallymovable transversely of the frame and rotatable in the frame and amanually contactable easily accessible member attached to thebar bymeans of which longitudinal 30 or rotary movement of the bar, or acombination of such movements, maybe brought about to operate therelease devices.

A further object lies in the provision of a release mechanism for rollwringers comprising a rotatable bar disposed longitudinally of the topframe of a wringer having means on its ends adapted to hold the topframe upon the lower frame whereby to hold the rolls in pressurerelation, the bar being rotatable to render it incapable of such holdingaction, mechanism co-operative with the bar to prevent such rotation andeasily accessible rotatable and rockable means for disabling thepreventive mechanism whereby to permit'such rotation to release the topframe.

Other objects will appear in the following description and accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a wringer embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 1 with certain partsremoved and other parts shown in section to permit clear view ofinterior parts to be described;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental sectional elevational view taken online 44 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational View taken on line 55 in Fig. 3 withportions broken away to show underlying parts;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental view similar to. Fig. 5 showing certain parts inoperated position;

Fig. 7 is an endwise elevational view taken on line 1-1 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a fractionated view of parts disclosed in Fig. '7 showingcertain parts in operated position;

Fig. 9 is an endwise sectional elevational view taken on line 9-9 inFig. 3;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective fragmental view showing details to bereferred to;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmental detail view taken from the position ofline ll-ll in Fig. 3;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmental detail view taken on line l2-l 2 inFig. 3;

Fig. 13 is afragmental detail view taken on line l3l3 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged fragmental sectional elevational view similar toFig. 12 showing parts in altered relative positions as will beexplained;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary elevational sectional view taken on line I5-|5in Fig. 12; and

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15 showing cerit as embodied with awringer comprising a lower frame I0 including upright end portions l land I2 and a lower transverse portion 13, the structure of the latterbeing such as to include drain aprons extending at opposite sides asshown.

The lower frame structure is attached to a head structure I4 by means ofwhich it is supported upon the post structure of a washing machine notshown. A detachable upper frame I5 is adapted to be positioned atop thelower frame as will be explained shortly.

The mechanism includes upper and lower wringer rolls l6 and H.

The lower roll I! is rotatably supported in the lower frame structure bymeans of bearing blocks 3 and I9 and has driving connection with a powersource, not shown, as through a coupling 20. The wringer may include aflipper board 2| disposed below the roll and madeoperable by a mechanism22 co-operative with coupling 20.

Figs. 3 and 9 disclose that upper roll I6 is rotatably supported by theupper frame IS in bearinging blocks 23 and 24 housed in cage structures25. I

Cages 25 are provided with laterally extending portions 26 at theirlower extremities and through these pass retainer bars 21 which havetheir upper ends affixed in the upper frame l5 as at 28. Bars 21 aremade slidable in extensions 26. Coil springs 29 confined on the barsreact between frame I5 and the extensions to resiliently force blocks23, and roll IE, away from the top frame, the extent of such movementbeing limited by abutment members 21 on the lower ends of the bars.

It will be apparent that when the top frame is held down in lockedrelation with the lower frame, springs 29 become operative to force theupper roll into pressure contact with the lower roll, and that when theupper frame is unlocked it may be forced upwardly by the springs torelax them and remove the pressure between the rolls.

It is to means for locking and unlocking the upper frame as aforesaidthat my present invention is principally directed, as will now bedescribed.

Fig. 3 illustrates a bar member 30 disposed longitudinally in frame l5and rotatably supported in bracket portions 3| and 32 of frame l5.

Adjacent the ends of bar 30, recesses are formed which have flat bottomfaces 39' lying approximately upon a center line of the bar, see Fig.10.

Fig. 3 discloses that the lower frame structure includes upright endportions 33 and 34, and Fig. 7 illustrates in detail the fashioning ofportion 33, with which portion 34 is identical.

Portions 33 and 34 are positioned to lie just outside the bearings 3|and 32, to align with the recesses of bar 39 and at their upper ends,each of the portions are cut away in a manner to form a recess having avertical side 36, a horizontal bottom side 3'! tangentially curvedupwardly at 38 through 90 degrees, thence inwardly upon a radial line 39to a point approximately the center, 40, of curve 33, thence verticallyat 43' a short distance to the top of the structure.

Fig. '7 clearly illustrates that the inner point 49 of the radial face39 approximately aligns with the axial center of bar 30, and that theradial face forms a hook adapted to engage the face 30' of bar 30 whenthe bar is rotated to position face 30 in horizontal relation.

Fig. 8 illustrates the structure of bearing 3|, bearing 32 beingidentical, as including a vertical side portion 4|, and when bar 30 isrotated to place the face 30 in vertical position it lies parallel withface 4| and the faces are so positioned that top frame l5 may be moveddownwardly to place face 39 alongside face 4|! and face 4| injuxtaposition with face 36. The function of this mechanism will beexplained shortly.

Bar 30 is rotatable to place the faces 30 in vertical or horizontalposition, and it will now become apparent that by means of faces 30' ofthe bar 30 engaged under faces 39 of the lower frame, as in Fig. 9, thetop frame l5 may be securely locked in lowered position on the lowerframe. 7

With the top frame in lowered, locked position, springs 29 areconsiderably compressed due to the abutment of roll l6 upon roll I! andthus the upper roll is held in resilient pressure relationship with thelower roll. With parts in this position, the bar 30 may obviously berotated to place the faces 30' in vertical alignment as in Fig. 8, topermit vertical movement of frame I5 in response to the pressure ofsprings 29.

As already noted, to release the top frame |5 from the lower frame, itis but necessary to rotate bar 30 in a clockwise direction, Fig. 7, to

permit escapement of bar 39 from the hook formed by face 39. To restorethe parts to locked position it is only necessary to place the upperframe in such position that the lower edge of face 30' lies slightlybelow the point 40, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8, whereuponmanual rotation of the bar in a counter-clockwise direction will bringabout cam action between face 39' and point 49 to force the top frame l5downwardly to eventually place the parts in locked relationship as inFig. 9. The cam action noted is facilitated by abutment of face 4|against face 39 whereby side movement of bar 30, due to the forcedengagement of face 30' with point 49, is prevented.

To accomplish the described manual rotation. of bar 3|], I provide anarm member 42, disposed at the end of the wringer opposite the head l4and rotatably mounted upon an extending end, 43 of bar 39.

A short distance from the end of bar 30 and adjacent the inside line ofarm member 42 is an annular groove 44 in which is disposed a tooth 45,see Fig. 10.

Riding in the groove is a pawl member 43 which is mounted to be freelymovable on a stud 43 disposed eccentrically of bar 39 on the innersurface of arm 42.

The interior and exterior contours of pawl 46 are of irregular form andits movement upon stud 4! is limited by a stud 48 secured to the innerface of arm 42. The exterior contour of the pawl is such that stud 43co-operates to prevent it from falling out of association with groove 44although it is free to fall out of working engagement with associatedparts as will be noted.

The inner face of the pawl is fashioned to have a hook 49 which isengageable with tooth 45. The pawl is gravitationally biased to falltoward the tooth to engage it when bar 39 is rotated to unlockedposition, as in Figs. 8 and 6. The tooth is so disposed on bar 39, withrespect to faces 39' that the tooth lies in the position shown in Fig. 6when face 30' lies vertical as in Fi 8.

Rotation of arm 42 to the position shown in Fig. 6 places pawl 46 inposition to fall by gravity toward bar 30 to position the hook .49 inengagement with tooth 45.

With the book so engaged, rotation of arm 42 in counter-clockwisedirection from the position shown in Fig. 6, obviously brings aboutunitary movement of bar 30 to accomplish the described cam actionbetween faces 38' and points 40 to lock the top frame.

It is to be noted that when arm 42 is rotated to be positioned inalignment with the wringer frame, as in Fig. 5, the bar 30 is inposition of Fig. '7 and the function of pawl 46 is therefore completed.

In order to retain bar 30 in its locking position it is obviouslynecessary to prevent reverse rotation at all times except when it isdesired to unlock the frame and to this end I provide a mechanism asfollows:

Centrally disposed in top frame I5 is a plate member 50 the under-sideof which is shown in Fig. 11. The plate is loosely supported at 5| upontop frame l5 so as to be pivotally movable thereon as indicated by solidand dotted lines in Fig. 13.

At the central point of top frame l5, also central of plate 50, there isdisposed a shaft 52 lying transversely of the top frame and movablysupported therein in bearings 53. The function of the shaft will beexplained shortly.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate that plate 5| has an upper portion 54 passingover shaft 52 and portions 55 directed downwardly at each side thereof,the latter portions being fashioned to form cam faces having oppositelydisposed inclining and declining faces 56 and 51. Extendingapproximately from the joining point, 58, of the faces, and between thedeclining cam faces 5'! is an aperture through which shaft 52 passes.Below the shaft the body of plate 50 rejoins to form a downwardlydirected portion 60. In this portion is hooked one end 5! of a coilSpring 62 which has several convolutions about the bar and its oppositeend afiixed thereto by means of a pin or screw 53.

Spring 62 has a dual function, one being to urge plate 50 downwardly andthe other to urge rotation of bar 30 in clockwise direction, the purposeof which rotation has already been noted.

Referring again tothe functioning of bar 30, it has been noted thatclockwise rotation thereof brings about release action of the lockingdevices and it will now appear that, through the action of spring 62 thebar is biased to normally operate the locking parts to release position.

In order to retain the bar'30 in locked position, except when release isdesired, I provide elements co-operating between the bar and plate 50 asfollows: i

As shown best in Figs. 11, 13 and 14, plate 50 has an opening 64, anddisposed toengage an edge of this is a tooth 65 secured to bar 30.

Tooth i5 is so disposed on bar 30 that when it lies in vertical positionas in Fig. 13, the faces 30 lie in looking position as in Fig. 7, andwhen the tooth lies in horizontal position, Fig. 14, as would be broughtabout by clockwise rotation of bar 30, the faces 30' lie in vertical orunlocked position as in Fig. 8.

The elements described are adapted to act as a latching mechanism,whereby when arm 42 is actuated as described to rotate bar 30 to lockingposition, the tooth 65 is moved to engage the edge of opening 64 as inFig. 13 and thus prevent return rotation of bar 30.

In practical use the downward or locking manipulation of arm 42 iscontinued to the point where engagement of tooth 65 is accomplished.This would correspond to a position of arm 42 slightly negative of aplumb line position, such as is shown in Fig. 5.

It will be apparent that, upon completion of its working stroke, asproduced by an operator, the operator will abandon the arm, whereuponthe arm will fall back to the plumb position. This latter movement willrelease the working pressure between hook 49 and tooth 45 and the pawlwill be free to fall backwardly against stud 48 as in Fig. 5 and therewill be no operative connection between the arm and bar. Thus the bar 30will be left free to rotate to release position when the restriction ofplate 50 is removed from tooth 65. During this rotation the arm remainsstationary.

It is now to be noted that shaft 52 carries dual studs 66 extending uponeither side thereof as in Figs. 15 and 16, and in Fig. 12 it is shownthat the studs normally lie in the apex portion between cam faces 55 and51 of plate 50.

It has already been noted that shaft 52 is longitudinally and rockablymovable in its bearings 53 and reference to Fig. 14 will make apparentthat longitudinal movement of the shaft in either direction will engagethe studs 66 with cam faces 56 or 51 to e'levateplate 5!] andthus-withdraw the same from engagement of tooth 65, whereupon bar 30 isfree to rotate as urged by spring 62 to unlock the top frame.

Reference is now made to Fig. 15 wherein it is shown that the studs iifinormally lie in horizontal alignment with plate 50 resting evenly uponboth studs.

In. Fig. 16 it is shown that rocking movement of shaft 52 in eitherdirection elevates one of the studs to bring about elevation of plate50, which movement is productive of the same re-- sult as that broughtabout by'the above described longitudinal movernent of the shaft.

The foregoing will make clear that with the parts in locked position, asin Fig. '7, a substantially small longitudinal or rocking movement ofshaft 52 will be effective to elevate plate 50 to release tooth 55where-upon spring E2 becomes effective to rotate bar 39 to permit itsescapement from hook faces 39 and thus release the top frame andpressure between the rolls.

Under conditions of practical use the release movements described takeplace with considerable rapidity and to absorb the reverse rotativemotion of bar 35, when acting under release conditions, I provideelements shown in Figs. 3 and 4, these consist of a plug it, made fromrubber or the like, attached as at H in the upper part of top frame l5;

A stud 12 is affixed to bar 38 in position to contact plug is when thebar is rotated to release positionfas indicated in dotted lines in Fig.4. The plug obviously provides a cushion means for absorbing impactresulting from rapid rotative movement of shaft 39'.

Since the useful function of the mechanism described is utilizedprincipally when emergencies arise, it is necessary that releaseoperation be quickly responsive to simple effortless manipulation of aneasily accessible portion of the mechanism.

To this end I provide bars 61 afiixed to the outer ends of shaft 52. Thebars are disposed longitudinally with respect to the upper frame I 5,and are here shown .as having their ends connected by transverseportions 68. The bars 61 may be of any desired dimensions and are to beconsidered complete without the transverse portions. When used, thetransverse portions and the ends of bars 6'! are preferably fashioned soas to extend above the top surface of upper frame IE to render thedevice more accessible.

Dotted lines in Fig. 1 indicate that either end of bars 61 may bedepressed to rock the shaft 52, and dotted lines in Fig. 2 indicate thatshaft 52 will move longitudinally in response to manual pressure on bars61 from either side. Either movement, or a combination of them willobviously result in release of roll pressure in the manner described.

Means by which the mechanism is restored to working position havealready been described but will be the subject of a divisionalapplication for patent by the same inventor.

The foregoing has described a particular em bodiment of my invention.Modifications of structure are obviously possible without alteration ofthe principle involved. I do not wish to be limited in structure,function, or application of the principle disclosed except within thescope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of a wringer having a frame, roll wringing mechanismtherein, pressure means for said roll wringing mechanism, a top frameand safety mechanism for releasing said pressure means comprising amanually accessible bar disposed longitudinally of the top frame,thesame being rockably movable about .a relatively fixed axis and movablealong said axis to accomplish release of pressure on the rolls.

2. The combination of .a wringer having a frame, roll wringing mechanismtherein, pressure means for said roll wringing mechanism, a top frameand safety mechanism for releasing said pressure means comprising amanually accessible bar mounted on the top frame for movement in ahorizontal or vertical plane to release the pressure.

3. The combination of a wringer having a main frame, roll wringingmechanism therein, pressure means therefor, a top frame carrying saidpressure means, safety mechanism for releasably associating the topframe with the main frame, said mechanism comprising a manuallyaccessible bar member mounted on the top frame for movement in either ahorizontal plane or vertical plane to release the top frame.

4. The combination of a wringer having a frame, roll wringing mechanismtherein, pressure means for said roll wringing mechanism, ,a top frameand safety mechanism for releasing said pressure means comprising barsmounted on the top frame and being disposed on both sides thereof, saidbars being movable in either a vertical or horizontal plane andconnecting portions between the bars in position to be struck by theoperator to effect release of said pressure means.

5. The combination of a wringer having a frame, roll wringing mechanismtherein, pressure means therefor, a top frame, safety mechanismreleasably associating the top frame with the main frame, said mechanismcomprising a manually accessible bar disposed across'the front of thetop frame, said bar having portions movable in either a horizontal orvertical plane or on a line oblique to both the first and secondmentioned planes to accomplish release of pressure on the rolls.

6. In a wringer the combination of a lower frame, rolls mounted therein,a top frame, pressure means for the rolls exerting pressure from the topframe, mechanism for releasing the pressure carried by the top framecomprising a shaft mounted transversely of the top frame, mechanismconnecting said shaft and release mechanism responsive to longitudinaland rotative movement of the shaft to actuate the release mechanism .anda manually accessible member attached to said shaft providing means formoving the shaft to accomplish release of the pressure means.

7. In a wringer the combination of a lower frame, rolls mounted therein,a releasable top frame, pressure means for the rolls exerting pressurefrom the top frame, mechanism for releasing the top frame to permitremoval of pressure from the rolls comprising a shaft mountedtransversely of the top frame, mechanism connecting said shaft andrelease mechanism responsive to longitudinal and rotative movement ofthe shaft to actuate the release mechanism and a manually accessiblemember attached to said shaft providing means for moving the shaft toaccomplish release of the top frame.

ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER.

